Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Anqing Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Anqing

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,139 per month in Shenzhen vs $634 in Anqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,731 per month in Shenzhen vs $993 in Anqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,322 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,351 in Anqing, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 80% more than Anqing, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Anqing are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 17% lower, Anqing 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.95

$2.58 ¥17.33

55.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$19.85 ¥133

50.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.42

$6.12 ¥41.07

-13.73%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.52

$2.19 ¥14.71

53.42%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.46 ¥3.09

17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.21 ¥1.41

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.78

$1.06 ¥7.14

37.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.11

$1.31 ¥8.82

71.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.93

$1.02 ¥6.81

59.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.02

$1.45 ¥9.76

23.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.89

$0.93 ¥6.27

26.88%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.34

$0.92 ¥6.18

83.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$13.44 ¥90.2

63.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.26

$3.54 ¥23.73

2.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥95.0

$11.51 ¥77.2

23.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.67

$2.27 ¥15.26

-3.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.40

$1.26 ¥8.48

23.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.71

$1.39 ¥9.31

35.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.90

$1.13 ¥7.59

30.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.95

$0.81 ¥5.43

45.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.30

$0.76 ¥5.07

101.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.37 ¥2.49

45.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.38 ¥2.57

52.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.44

$6.64 ¥44.56

-31.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.9

$11.90 ¥79.9

6.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.09

$0.73 ¥4.88

24.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.39

$1.51 ¥10.10

22.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥149

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.89

$0.94 ¥6.32

56.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.69

$0.24 ¥1.60

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.68

$2.93 ¥19.69

147.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.37

$1.17 ¥7.83

6.84%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.1K ¥127.9K

$19.4K ¥130.4K

-1.86%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$18.1K ¥121.7K

$16.8K ¥112.5K

8.19%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$61.6 ¥413

$58.4 ¥392

5.48%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.91 ¥66.5

$8.21 ¥55.1

20.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$8.82 ¥59.2

71.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$75.1 ¥504

-34.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

$15.04 ¥101

12.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.34

$5.22 ¥35.00

40.80%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$525 ¥3,520

$219 ¥1,472

139.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.3K

$9,522 ¥63.9K

152.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$25.25 ¥169

97.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$20.92 ¥140

92.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥464

$79.3 ¥532

-12.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$33.44 ¥224

157.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,150

$186 ¥1,248

312.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,129

$135 ¥903

246.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$352 ¥2,364

415.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,739

$234 ¥1,569

265.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.1K

$13.0K ¥87.5K

2.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.2K

$6,493 ¥43.6K

-3.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

$795 ¥5,335

112.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

13.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Anqing: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $768 in Shenzhen versus $186 in Anqing. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 112% higher in Shenzhen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shenzhen versus $20.00 in Anqing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $195 – making Anqing the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Shenzhen vs Anqing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,139 in Shenzhen, $634 in Anqing – roughly 80% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,709 per month in Shenzhen and $952 in Anqing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Anqing, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shenzhen and $20.00 in Anqing. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Shenzhen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Anqing, where all-in costs run around $634, than in Shenzhen at $1,139. In Anqing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Anqing – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Anqing. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shenzhen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.